SYDNEY, (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden telephoned his Papua New Guinea counterpart James Marape yesterday after cancelling a historic meeting in the Pacific islands nation to tell him Secretary of State Antony Blinken would travel in his place, the two leaders said.
Pacific island leaders will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a high-level U.S. delegation in Papua New Guinea on Monday.
Biden pulled out of the visit to Papua New Guinea due to debt ceiling negotiations in Washington, a move seen by some as a blow to U.S. diplomacy in the region.
Biden had been expected to meet 18 leaders from the region’s main bloc, the Pacific Islands Forum, and sign a defence co-operation pact with PNG on Monday.
Marape told a press conference on Thursday that Biden had called him and invited him to a U.S.- Pacific island summit in Washington in September.
“I was privileged on behalf of the people that (Biden) placed a call directly to my cell phone … he conveyed his sincerest apologies that he cannot make it to our country,” Marape said.
Biden said Blinken would travel to PNG in his place, Marape added.
Biden called from Air Force One, the White House said in a statement, to personally convey the reason he was unable to travel to PNG was due to the need to ensure Congress took action to avert a default.
“The President emphasised continued U.S. commitment to the renewed partnership with the Pacific Islands,” the statement said.
Marape said a defence co-operation agreement with the United States had been scrutinised by the PNG government solicitor and would be signed on Monday, before being presented in parliament.
